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Carlisle ice-cream stand faces possible shutdown

By Hiroko Sato, hsato@lowellsun.com

Updated:
04/09/2013 06:34:53 AM EDT

CARLISLE -- After a tussle with the state over alleged permit violations last summer, the Great Brook Farm is again faced with the possibility of not being able to open its popular ice-cream stand at the state park because some of the issues raised last year are still not resolved.

Great Brook Farm posted a note Saturday on its Facebook page saying, "Edward Lambert Jr., commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, has shut down Great Brook Farm Ice Cream Stand."

The Department said Monday that the ice-cream stand is out of compliance with some permits and can open as soon as the issues are resolved.

Department of Conservation and Recreation spokeswoman S.J. Port said the issues are the same fire and plumbing code issues that came up last year.

Last May, the state DCR shut down the ice-cream stand, saying Mark and Tammy Duffy, who run the farm, had expanded the building without necessary permits. That sparked a public outcry in support of the 26-year-old farm and ice-cream stand, which has operated on land leased from the state.

The state allowed the ice-cream stand to reopen eight days later following an inspection.

Port said inspectors allowed the Duffys to reopen in 2012 because he made some temporary fixes and was told to follow up on several issues before this summer.

"Unfortunately, at this point he hasn't done that," Port said. "We want to work with them and get this moved forward."

Tamma Duffy declined to discuss details, saying the couple are now working with the state to resolve the issue.

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She said the support the couple gained from their Facebook friends made a difference.

"(Thanks to the publicity), we have the ear of the people down in the neck of the woods in Boston," Tamma Duffy said, referring to calls that Facebook friends made to the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

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